KUALA LUMPUR – The Charity Shield 2024/2025 match between Super League defending champions Johor Darul Ta’zim FC (JDT) and Selangor FC at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, will run as scheduled this Friday.
Malaysian Football League (MFL) chief executive officer Datuk Stuart Ramalingam said the 2024/2025 Malaysian League (M-League) opener will not be postponed due to the unfortunate incident that happened to Selangor’s sensational winger Faisal Halim recently.
“So far, the match will be played as scheduled on Friday. MFL has not received any request from the teams to postpone this match.
“If there is any latest development, we will announce it,” he said when met in Petaling Jaya, recently.
JDT are eyeing to defend the Charity Shield or the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Cup for the seventh consecutive time, while Selangor are looking to reclaim the trophy they last won in 2010.
It was speculated that the Friday match would be postponed after Faisal suffered an acid attack believed to have occurred at a shopping mall in the Klang Valley on Sunday.
The incident left him with fourth-degree burns and he had to be warded in the ICU.
It was the second unfortunate incident to happen to a Harimau Malaya player after Akhyar Rashid suffered head and body injuries after being attacked by two robbers near his home in Kuala Terengganu, last Thursday.
Meanwhile, Stuart dismissed wild speculations which arose following the attacks on the two national players, including the involvement of match-fixing syndicates.
“Bookie (connection) is among the rumours that have arisen, but I don’t think that is directly related.
“The M-League is a league that we respect and all including the players are working to ensure the integrity of the league is maintained,” he said.
At the same time, Stuart said MFL will ensure that the level of security control throughout the M-League competition is increased, including from the aspect of the supporters, to create a peaceful atmosphere during the match. – May 7, 2024